React, a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces, has revolutionized front-end development by enabling developers to create reusable components and manage complex UIs efficiently. However, adopting the right mindset is crucial for new developers to navigate React's unique paradigms. Let’s explore the essential principles and strategies that shape the "React mindset."
1. Think in Components
One of the core concepts in React is component-based architecture. Instead of building entire pages or applications in a single file, React encourages breaking down the UI into smaller, reusable components. This modularity improves maintainability and scalability.
How to think in components:
Identify repetitive patterns in the UI and break them down into reusable pieces.
Each component should ideally handle one specific task (e.g., Button, Header, Card).
Components should be small and focused on one function or responsibility (often called the "single responsibility principle").
When approaching a UI, start by dividing it into a component tree. At the root is your main Appcomponent, which can house other components like Header, Footer, and MainContent.
2. Embrace Declarative Programming
React takes a declarative approach, meaning you define what the UI should look like based on the current application state, rather than imperatively describing how to manipulate the DOM step-by-step.
How to think declaratively:
Think of your components as descriptions of the UI, where the UI will react to changes in state.
Instead of manipulating the DOM directly, React handles updating the DOM based on changes in state or props (properties passed to components).
Focus on the data flow. Your job is to set up the logic that determines what should be rendered based on the state of the application.
Example:
const MyComponent = () => {
const [isLoggedIn, setIsLoggedIn] = useState(false);
return (
<div>
{isLoggedIn ? <h1>Welcome Back!</h1> : <h1>Please Log In</h1>}
</div>
);
};
In this example, the component simply declares what the UI should look like based on the isLoggedIn state.
3. Understand the Role of State and Props
React's power comes from its ability to manage dynamic data via state and props.
State is used for data that a component owns and manages internally.
Props are used to pass data from a parent component to a child component.
How to manage state and props:
Identify which data belongs in a component’s local state (use
useStateoruseReducer) and which data should be passed down via props.Only lift state up to the closest common ancestor when multiple components need to share it. This prevents unnecessary duplication and helps keep your components clean.
Understanding when and where to use state is critical. Overusing state can lead to complexity, while underusing it may limit your app’s interactivity.
4. Composition Over Inheritance
React encourages composition rather than inheritance. Components can be composed together, meaning that smaller components are combined to form larger ones, making the UI modular and easier to maintain.
How to think in terms of composition:
- Design components to be flexible and reusable by passing down props, which allow them to render differently depending on the data.
- Avoid tightly coupling components; instead, build them to be independent and self-contained.
For instance, rather than building different components for different buttons (e.g., PrimaryButton, SecondaryButton), you can create a single Button component and pass different styles or behaviors via props.
const Button = ({ label, onClick, variant }) => {
return (
<button className={`button ${variant}`} onClick={onClick}>
{label}
</button>
);
};
5. Think About Data Flow (Unidirectional)
In React, data flows in one direction: from parent to child components. This is known as unidirectional data flow, and it simplifies how data is managed across the app.
How to manage data flow:
Identify the "source of truth" for each piece of data and ensure it flows down through props.
Avoid trying to sync data between components by force; instead, lift state up to the nearest common ancestor when necessary.
Understanding the flow of data helps keep your app predictable, as you always know where data is coming from and how it changes over time.
6. Get Comfortable with JSX
JSX (JavaScript XML) is a syntax extension that looks like HTML but is used within JavaScript to describe UI. It allows you to write HTML-like code directly within JavaScript, making it easy to create UI elements.
How to think in JSX:
- Write HTML-like syntax inside your JavaScript code, while remembering that it's actually JavaScript underneath.
- Leverage JavaScript expressions inside JSX by wrapping them in curly braces
{}.
const Greeting = ({ name }) => {
return <h1>Hello, {name}!</h1>;
};
JSX makes it intuitive to build dynamic UIs because you can seamlessly integrate logic (like conditionals and loops) inside your markup.
7. Learn Hooks
Hooks, introduced in React 16.8, allow you to use state and other React features in functional components. The most commonly used hooks are useState and useEffect.
How to use hooks effectively:
useStateallows you to add state to functional components, making them dynamic.useEffectlets you manage side effects (e.g., fetching data or updating the DOM) in functional components.
For example, one of useEffect use cases is used to fetch data after the component mounts:
useEffect(() => {
fetchUserData();
}, []); // Empty dependency array means this runs only once after the initial render.
Hooks enable developers to write cleaner, more maintainable code by replacing complex class component logic with simpler functional patterns.
8. Test and Debug Early
React's component-based structure lends itself to easy testing and debugging, especially when you develop with the mindset of isolating each component. Use tools like Jest and React Testing Library to test individual components in isolation.
How to approach testing:
- Write unit tests for individual components.
- Test how components behave with different sets of props and state.
- Use debugging tools like React DevTools to inspect your component tree and state changes.
Conclusion
Adopting the right mindset when developing in React is essential for success. By thinking in components, embracing declarative programming, understanding state and props, and focusing on composition, you'll be able to build scalable and maintainable applications. Stay curious, and continue to refine your React mindset as the ecosystem evolves!
Top comments (53)
Love how this article breaks down the essential mindset for new React developers. Thinking in components, embracing declarative programming, and understanding state and props are key to mastering React. A great guide for anyone starting out!
Welcome to the community and thanks for reading Dear Mark 👍
Nice introduction, but puts an emphasis on prop drilling and local state, and doesn't mention context at all. In your example, you have the logged-in status as local state, which it would never be. That would be determined by a context provider in the app component so you don't need to pass this value as a prop to every component in the tree
True, but it is an article for beginners. Context or State stores are a more advanced concept and getting your head around useEffect is hard enough for newbies.
Maybe a couple of lines about separating Application state (dark theme, is logged in, side menu open etc) from Data state (list of items, form contents failed validation l, data submission pending) would help.
Yes, you're right Aaron!
Moments ago, I read from this platform how complex React had made a simple workflow.
And now, I read about approaches to take to get the best out of React.
Isn't Life beautiful 😍?
It's just feel like react is a two edged sword 🗡️ ah
Without a doubt, the mindset is a major determinant whether you’ll write a good React code or not. Thinking in components leads the pack just as you have mentioned. As much as possible break down repetitive features into independent component and employ props to customize for different scenarios.
This is an amazing article.
This is a great summation of the mindset needed to be a competent React Dev.
What is becoming more important now, is the ability to know how to think in server and client components and composing UI this way.
This is an added layer of complexity that brings with it the need for careful thought about how state is managed (e.g. using query params instead of local state) and the flow of data. I guess that's an entirely different article!
This is a very concise and significant article. These are very essential in the journey of a React Developer. And, these aren't applicable to only new developers but existing ones, as well, who aren't following the conventional way.
Thanks for the article.
Would be nice (but maybe a hassle at the same time) to talk a bit more about React Server Components, server actions and all the new-releases coming in React 19. The industry is going in the direction of involving the server and the sooner the better to address those different mental models.
Modern React developers should drop the distinction between state and props. Every piece of data in your app is state. Props is just short for properties that we all know from basic javascript functions (React components are just javascript functions). Props are used to pass state down to child components. React developers should think about data flow in this regard, particularly which components should manage the data and how far it should flow down the tree. Btw uni-directional data flow is just theory of how react works when rendering. In practice there are several ways to pass state up the component tree, for example using React context.
Love how this article breaks down the essential mindset for new React developers.I work in a react native app development company in uae and personally Thinking in components, embracing declarative programming, and understanding state and props are key to mastering React.
I'm tired of using React JS if the application is too big when I run it and the compilation process takes a long time, besides the complexity of the code which makes my head spin, especially if I want to change the code, there are no more dependency problems which are often depreciated, I throw away React JS so I use C# .Net which is easier.
Yeah, use Vite and enjoy life.
Try React with Vite, the compilation is lightning fast
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